today it was vice president joe biden who condemned syria. he became the highest ranking u.s. official to accuse president bashar assad's government of a chemical weapons attack on civilians. >> the president believes and i believe that those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men, women and children should and must be held accountable. >> the administration is rounding up support from its allies including the french government, who is vowing retaliation. and today the arab league also called for justice. so what would a u.s. intervention overseas mean for us here at home? linda yee explains. >> reporter: u.s. warships wait off the coast of syria ready to launch missiles. the syrian government is suspected. chemical poison attack -- of the chemical poison attack against its citizens in civil war. some of america's allies are calling for punishment. iraq's ambassador to the u.s. spoke of the horror at a meeting in san francisco. >> the tragedy of what's happening to our brothers is unacceptable. the dictatorship which has been imposed is unacceptable. >> reporter: in